Atorvastatin downregulates tissue plasminogen activator-aggravated genes mediating coagulation and vascular permeability in single cerebral endothelial cells captured by laser microdissection.

Abstract

The effects of statins on gene expression of cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) in vivo have not been investigated after stroke. We developed a rapid double immunofluorescent staining protocol with antibodies against von Willebrand factor (a marker for endothelium) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (a marker for astrocytes) for laser capture microdissection to isolate single ECs in brain tissue of the rat. Using this protocol in combination with real-time PCR, we found that stroke significantly increased mRNA levels of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) and tissue factor (TF) in ECs isolated from ischemic cerebral microvessels compared with nonischemic vessels. Treatment of embolic stroke with recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rht-PA) 4 h after stroke further elevated PAR-1 mRNA levels nearly 1000-fold in the core and 500-fold in the boundary above the nonstroke group 30 h after stroke, while TF mRNA levels were elevated approximately 10 fold above the nonstroke group. Furthermore, stroke significantly increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 mRNA levels in the ischemic core and boundary regions 6 and 30 h after stroke. Treatment with rht-PA-upregulated MMP2 expression in the ischemic boundary and core. Atorvastatin completely blocked rht-PA upregulation of the above genes, when atorvastatin in combination with rht-PA was administered 4 h after stroke. Monotherapy of atorvastatin 4 h after stroke did not significantly reduce expression of genes examined in the present study. These data provide evidence that atorvastatin reduces exogenous tPA-aggravated cerebral endothelial genes that mediate thrombosis and blood-brain barrier permeability, which could contribute to the beneficial effects of statins on thrombolytic treatment of acute stroke.

• Authors: Xian Shuang Liu, Zheng Gang Zhang, Li Zhang, Daniel C Morris, Alissa Kapke, Mei Lu, Michael Chopp
• Journal: Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism (J Cereb Blood Flow Metab) Vol. 26 Issue 6 Pg. 787-96 (Jun 2006) ISSN: 0271-678X [Print] United States
• PMID: 16177809 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Anticholesteremic Agents
• Heptanoic Acids
• Pyrroles
• RNA, Messenger
• Receptor, PAR-1
• Thromboplastin
• Atorvastatin
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Topics

• Animals
• Anticholesteremic Agents (pharmacology)
• Atorvastatin
• Blood Coagulation (drug effects)
• Brain (blood supply, drug effects)
• Brain Ischemia (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Capillary Permeability (drug effects)
• Down-Regulation
• Endothelial Cells (drug effects, metabolism)
• Gene Expression (drug effects)
• Heptanoic Acids (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Lasers
• Male
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (drug effects, metabolism)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (drug effects, metabolism)
• Microdissection
• Pyrroles (pharmacology)
• RNA, Messenger (analysis)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Receptor, PAR-1
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Thromboplastin (drug effects, metabolism)
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator (drug effects, metabolism, pharmacology)